The real start of the Safety Campus in Assen has yet to come. But it’s a start, and it’s certainly a good one. Because the new campus received the Asser Ambition Award last night, an award for individuals or organizations that make a major contribution to the city.
The prize, a trophy, was presented by Mayor Marco Out during the Asser Kick-off, the annual New Year’s meeting of the municipality, together with Ondernemend Assen, Drents Museum and other organizations.
DCTerra director Mare Riemersma accepted the award, partly on behalf of the educational institutions involved in the Safety Campus, such as the Thorbecke Academy of NHL Stenden and the University of Groningen. It was the second time that the prize was awarded by the municipality. Last year, sports promoter Lee van Dam won the first award, in appreciation of his years of efforts to bring major car and motorsport events to Assen.
The prize stems from the Asser Ambition Agenda, an ambitious timetable that sets the course for how the city should grow until 2030. These ambitions were established two years ago. Assen wants to add 10,000 homes, 5,000 jobs and become a vibrant student city.
The Safety Campus was launched last year by the municipality of Assen and various northern educational institutions. Everything related to safety and resilience can be contacted by the Safety Campus. Students are trained, but also civilians to become reservists or for resilience training.
They have to complete physical training at the barracks in Assen. That is happening for the first time this year. The Thorbecke Academy of NHL Stenden, mob training DCTerra, the University of the North and Defense work closely together in the Safety Campus.
The campus would initially be located in one of the monumental buildings of the JWF barracks, which are located along the Vaart. But procedures to take over those buildings from the Central Government Real Estate Agency and then renovate them take a long time. In the meantime, the Thorbecke Academy has found a new large office floor on the Industrieweg, suitable for at least 300 students for the next five years, including the Safety Campus.
The renovation will start at the beginning of this year and students will be able to move in from September, director Richard Delger of the Thorbecke Academy hopes.